Safety device for traction operation



Oct. 9, 192a.

A. COUWENHOVEN $AFETY DEVICE FOR TRACTION OPERATION Filed March 4, 1926 Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT orr es.

nnnAnnivr couwnnnovnn, or BADEN, swrrznnnanp, ASSIGNOR TO A. G. BROWN BOVERI & em, or BADEN, SWITZERLAND, A JOINT-STOOK eomrany or swrrznn- LAND.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR. 'rnnorron orEBaTIoN.

Application filed March 4, 1926, Serial No. 92,325, and in Italy May 27 1925.

This invention relates to electrical railways, particularly .to that class in which difprovision of automatically operating means for insuring the proper adjustment of switch mechanism on the vehicleincident to its passing from the zone of one voltage to that of another. j 7

Other objects will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter or will be obviousto one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the invention. 7 'e In the drawing forming a part of this specification I show one arrangement,but this is presented for purpose'ofillustration only and is not to be interpreted as limiting the claims in any fashion short of the true and most comprehensive scope of the invention in the art. In the drawing, the figure is a diagramratic illustration of one arrangement of apparatus embodying the invention.

" When electric railways or tramways are.

worked at more than one voltage, as for example when the country sections are worked at double the voltage of the urban sections, precautions must be taken to prevent the connections as set for low-voltage operation remaining unaltered whenthe vehicle passes into a'high-voltage section of the line', even when the driver torg ets'to change the connections or is prevented from doing so.

According to the invention themain switch is open automatically in such circumstances when the vehicle arrives at the transition point. This is done by arranging a lever'on the car which strikes 'againsta ramp on the track and opens the main switch in the event of the car passing on to'the high voltage segtion with the connections set for low voltage operation, The main switch can only be reclosed after the driver has made the required change in the conneotionsf i The drawing shows diagrammatically an example or the application of theinvention to a car on which the main switch is operated by compressed aiizf Inthe drawing C is the drum of the controller for'which d represents thelow voltage and'e the high voltage positions. The shaft or the controller is extended and. divided into two portions 0; and 6 by 'a clutch h which is operative in one direction only. Two air cocks and g are arranged on the two sections of the shaft as shown.

The drawing shows the control gear in the position. for low voltage operation.

A striking lever 0 is suitablyarranged on the car and connected to the free portion 1) of the control shaft by a chain.

In normal circumstances the driver, on

reaching the transition point, turns. thev handle/c and with it the controller drum 0 from osition d to position 6. At the same time t e air cock f, and, through the medium of the clutch h, the cock 9 also, are both turned through 90, thus putting the inlet 7 pi e m into communication with the cylinder 2'' 'ef the a g 8 onn c p p and the'passa'ge in cock 9, I

"Should the driver have left the drum 0 in the low-voltage position (2, however, the lever 41 strikes against the raila in the direction of the arrow as the car advances and takes up the position indicated by the dotted lines. This rotates the portion of theshaft b carrying the air cock 9, the. shaft portion a remaining undisturbed. The cylinderp is t s p to a mosph y Way ,Qft 606k '9, n e t P p 7" a d pas g 8 in cook {{the pressure is removed and the main- SWitc 51 opens bringing the car to a standstill. T os the w t .a mp essed a must be su plied to the c linder p and this can only e done by driver moving his control lever iroin position d to position e. W11en P n qm hi h o l v l ge operation the 'uni directional action of the clutch it causes the shaft portion b to. be left behind when the handle [0 is turned back from position 6, to position (1. Consequently it must be returnedby' the driver with the aid I Compressed air enters at m, passes through the returns the striking lever v) to the full line position corresponding to low-voltage operation.

ll hat I claim is 7.. A protective device for traction motors operating on multi-voitage systems, comprising' a change-over switch on the vehicle, a divided shaft for controlling said switch, hand operable means for adjusting said shaft, a throwing device at the unction of high and low voltage sections of the system, and means on the vehicle operable thereby for actuating one section of said shaft. 7

2. The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle adapted to operate on sections having current of different character, of a change-over switch on said vehicle to establish circuits in accordance with the character oi the current to be operated with, a main switch controlling the current supply to said vehicle, a throwing device at the junction of the sections operating with currents of different character, means on the vehicle operable by said throwing device for opening said main switch in case said change-over switch is not in the position corresponding to the character of the current in the section toward which said vehicle is moving.

In a trolley vehicle system, a trolley section of low voltage, and an adjoining trolley section of relatively high voltage, an electrically propelled vehicle supplied from said trolley sections, a changeover switch on said vehicle for operating the same with connections suitable for low voltage operation or with connection suitable for high voltage operation, a main line switch on said vehicle, a throwing device at the junction o1 the high voltage and low voltage sections and means on said vehicle adapted to be actuated bysaid throwing device to open said main switch when passing'from one section to the other.

4. In. a trolley vehicle system, a trolley section 01 low voltage, and an adjoining trolley section of relatively high voltage, an electrically propelled vehicle supplied from said trolley sections, a change-over switch on said vehicle for operating the same with connections suitable for low voltage operation or with connections'suitable for high voltage operation, a main line switch on said vehicle, a throwing device at the junction of the high voltage and low voltage sections, means on said vehicle adapted to be actuated by said throwing device to open said main switch when passing from one section to the other,

and means for preventing r-e-closure of said main switch until said change-over switch is in the position corresponding to the voltage of the section to be operated upon.

5. In a trolley vehicle system, a trolley line comprising a high voltage. section and a low ioltage section, an electrically propelled vehicle adapted to be supplied by said trolley line, a main line switch on said vehicle, a

change-over switch for establishing low volt age and high voltage operating connections, a

throwin device at the unction of thelow and high voltage sections, and interlocking means between said main switch and said change-over switch so arranged as to cause said throwing means 'to open said main switch when passing from the low, voltage section to the high voltage section when the change-over switch is in the low voltage position and causing said main switch to remain closed when said change-over switch is in the high voltage position. 7 6. In a trolley vehicle system, a'trolley line comprising high voltage section and a low voltage section, an electrically propelled vehicle adapted to be supplied by said trolley line, a. main line switch on said vehicle, a cha'nge-overswitch for establishing low fvoltage and high voltage operating connections,

a throwing device at the junction of the low and high voltage sections, interlocking means between said main switch and said changeover switch soarranged as to cause said throwing means to open said mam switch when passing from the low voltage section to the high voltage section when thechangeover switch is in the low voltage position and causing said main switch to remain closed when said change-over switch is in the high voltage position, and means for preventing reclosure'of said main switch until said change-over switch is broughtto the high voltage position. 7

7. A protective device fortraction motors operating on a system having high and low voltage sections, comprising, in combination, a main switch on the vehicle, a throw-over switch on the vehicle, a control device for the main switch, a throwing device at the junction of such sections for cooperation with the control device to cause opening of the main switch, and means operable in conjunc ing device at the junction of suchsections for cooperation with the control device to cause opening of the main switch, and means operable in conjunction with the throw-over switch for causing closing of the main switch.

9.'A protective device for traction motors operating on a system having high and low voltage sections, comprising, in combination, a main switch on the vehicle, a throw-over switch on the vehicle, a control device for the main switch, a manually-operable setting device for the throw-over switch, a throwing device at the junction of such sections for acthe control device.

10. In apparatus for controlling an electrio vehicle disposed for operation along 00- eXtensive high and low voltage supply lines, a supply switch carried by such vehicle, means carried by such vehicle and having a first and a second posit-ion and; being operable When in said first position to provide for low voltage operation of said vehicle and being operable When in said second position to provide for high voltage operation of the same, relatively fixed means disposed at the junction of such lines, and means carried b such vehicle and disposed for coaction with said relatively fixed means and being oper able upon such coaction and concurrent dis position of said first-named means in said first position thereof to effect opening operation of said supply switch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name at Zurich, Switzerland, on the 10th day of February, A. D. 1926.

ABRAHAM GOUWENHOVEN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,687,084, Granted October 9, 1928, to

ABRAHAM COUWENHOVEN.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as foiiows: Page 1, in the heading to the printed speciiieation, line 6, date of tiling application in Italy, for "May 27, 1925 read "March 27, 1925"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of February, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

